Savannah daily herald. (Savannah, Ga.) 1865-1866, February 23, 1865, Image 2

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Hauannalt § uiy §teraW. BY S. W. MASON AND CO. '3SJLVANNAH, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 23, 13«. ‘Washington's Birth-day, under tub Flag Yesterday, lor the first tine £* Tour years, the time honored anniver sary ofif Washington’s Birth-day, was gen erally observed. Every ione patriotically «n»d loyally inclined felt it incumbent mpon. himself to make the day as joyfa as sr*ss3ble. Business w r as suspended, and the streets were thronged with veil Pressed and happy people. From varbus %<aildings ; among which were the Cus tom House, Pulaski House, and the various Headquarters, the national cdors swere displayed, and from the shipping ■isrartoas colored flags, were given to the freeze- Tiie He venue Cutter Nemaha, 'CSfcpfc. McGowan, and the Coast Survey •schooner Caswell, Capt. Dennis, together J wkh a number of ships, were decked ‘ gaily in eolois. A National salute '•'"Wes fired at meridian, iDuring the evening festivities ruled the Iwhr, and all retired, with a feeling of satisfaction that the day could be so well vehserved under the old flag, as it was . only i/hUT years ago that President Liu c a&’n and Vice President Hamlin were : taeg. iu effigy, in one of the public itupn&tgjoi the city. Time has certainly w«ncked» ahKGgiJS in this city, and in no 3nsspec\. srtfhv change been more grat ifying than in die fanner of observing Uu .annhursary of The birth day of the father of his* Country. 'Wa are indebted to Purser Fred. W. m Ty of the steamer Arago, for late files «L.Northern* papers. We shall give ex ' ifrom them -morrow. A Wm© to fnn Cm zens.— We invite ltl»e attention of the f pufflic to an order, column,* from th ® Street Com ■ en»«rioi9er. Vv T e tißderstancfl that Cnpt. ISfcmros has a sufficient force to remove cohort time the accumulation 3 of ma* i / maate i &c n which now infest ©ur alleys, that garbage carts will be put upon street commencing from Bay st r eet, *** as ese isKaps are removed. The . f^daen^,inc^t^£xfr»- ri ji their part of tee . Stearns will do hi?. interested in these movements to Ptm fwoverthe sanitary condition ot the city, •iwristward off epidemics and disease, and ®rge upon eveiy one the necessi % cf closely observing the regulations \3®»earibed. «PKn)kL CORRESPONDENCE OF the savannah herald. Charleston, S. C., Feb. 20, 18G3. /its you are already well aware, is again in possession of the sjajgUraal government. Like a ripe apple ill dropped into our hands with all its ar j&BKiient, munitions, and a quantity ol of va|jbus kinds. The evacua was determined on at'a council of j liold at Gen. Hardee s headquarters, wiicli Gens. Beauregard, Hill, the sUj»sr, and a delegation from the city ,; .fSfltfjteorities were present. There was a liwEaly of opinion expressed, many %£&£ exceedingly opposed to the project «ja •evacuation. But all realized the -.'etdtoesslty of doing something very quick iljk ss Sherman's advance on Columbia . no good to them; and Gen. Pot s*r's operations at Bull's Bay,. in Christ CfevEreSi Parish, which threatened to cut mW Shear last line of retreat; and they .• &*ailj> r 7 unanimously, concluded that the enjper thing was tk) evacuate as early as i .ijwsssibJe. On Fridtay night the move '• Detect began, the troops on Sullivan's Islaiid marching through Christ Church Parish and just escaping our advance. The garrison of James Island, Fort Sumter, and John’s Island, and the city, took cars at the North-Eastern Railroad depot, and retreated to Cheraw, S. C. Certain signs observed and information derived by Gen. Schimmiifennig satisfied him that such a movement wa3 to take place, and he made his preparations to occupy the deserted works aad take pos session of the^city. At eight o’clock, no one being visible on Sumter, a boat, id charge of Major Hennessey, of the 52d Pennsylvania Vol unteers, crossed to the Fort and found it evacuated. The stars and stripes were instantly flung to- the breeze, from the highest point of the parapet, and honored by three times three of hearty cheers. Niue guns were found in the work, and the fort itself was stronger than when we fired the first gun against it. Lieut. Ilafckett, of the 3d R. I. Artil lery, after an exciting race with a faa vy boat, succeeded in reaching Fort Moul trie first, and raised the flag: over its massive parapets. The Fort and all the strong Works on Sullivan’s Island .were found to be entirely evacuated. All the guns were spiked, and a portion of the ammunition destroyed, but there still re mains a large quantity in the capacious magazines of the batteries on the island. THE FLAG PLACED IN THE CITT. On the occupation of Sumter, Lt. Col. A. G. Bennett, 21st U. S. C. TANARUS., command ing Morris Island, in company with Ma jor lleune§sey, Capt. Haviland, and Lieutenant Burr and nine men, proceed ed in a small boat to the city, planting the flag on the middle ground battery and Castle Pinckney, en route. The scene at this time was grand and terrible. The rebel rams Palmetto State, Charleston, and Chicora, and several gun-boats on the stocks were in a mass of flames. The store ship John Ravenel was also en veloped id flames, and on the wharf sev eral hundred bales of cotton and some supplies were burning furiously. From various points in the city huge columns of black smoke mingled with flames arose, showing that the work of destruction was going on with fearful rapidity. On land ing at Atlantic wharf. Col. Bennett sent a demand to the Mayor for the surrender of the city, and it was at once complied with. A committee of Aldermen, Williams and Giliand, waited on the Colonel, and requested on behalf of the city authorities a guard to be placed in the city, to enable the firemen to perform their duties, as they were then secreted and could not appear on the streets, be cause the rebel cavalry were engaged in picking them up and driving them out of town, for the purpose of putting them in the ranks. Coi. Bennett promised the desired assistance at once, but as his force did not come up for some time, be did not at once give it. He could not leave the wharf and go up into the city with his little force of nine men, as the rebel cavalry were only one or two streets back from the wharf, and a rebel brigade was still in town, although get ting on board the cars as rapidly as pos sible. . When fifty additional men had arrived from Morris Island, Cel. Bennett advanc ed up Meeting street, and took posses sion of the Citadel, Custom House, and other public buildings, arriving just in time to save the Citadel from destruction by fire. A load of fat pine had been de posited in the building to fire it, but our advance was so unexpected no time was given the rebels to touch the torch to it. If it had burned up, the explosion of a large quantity of powder in it would have been likely to have demolished the j entire town. Fortunately the catas trophe was arrssted AN OVAfON TO OUR tP.OOPS. J While marbling up Meeting street, the popular enthisiasm and excitement baf fled all de9crptiou. A victorious arjny returning to ;ts home, laden with spoils, and decked /with all the splendid tro phies of a successful campaign, could not have been received with more honor .or manifestations of joy and pleasure, than the l/ttle band of negroes and their officers, as they moved rapidly up the main street, with the “stars and stripes, ” borne ‘full high in front,” and waving in the bijeeze. The street was thronged by the population, who had turned out in their best to witness the novel spec tacle. Whites and blacks . were wild with joy. Cheers were given for the flag, the Union, and President Lincoln. Men hurrahed and tossed up their hats ; women waved handkerchiefs, threw kisses to the officers, and danced with very delight. Men and women, white and back, rushed into the middle of the streets, gpispiug the hands of the officers, fondled the horses, and expressed in words their happiness at the arrival of our troops, and the re-appearance of the .old flag, in the streets of the ruined city. The scene was the most extraordinary ever witnessed, especially when we take into consideration the fact that Charles ton is par excellence the hot bed of rebel lion, and that such a thing as a Union sentiment existing thereto any extent, was not dreamed of by the greatest en thusiast. It was thus doubly gratifying to our troops, and they marched on with a more upright and prouder mein. THE FIRES EXTINGUISHED. As soon as a suitable force had arrived, Cok Bennett sent out detachments to the various points wherre the fire was raging, and the firemen soon appeared with their apparatus, and devoted themselves to the extinguishment of the flames. The smaller fires were soon subdued, but those which had already destroyed a large number of buildings were not finally got under until late at night. TERRIBLE EXPLOSION AND LOSS OP LIFE. In the morning the rebel troops set fire to a quantity of cotton stored in the yard of the Northeastern Depot, and it was soon wrapped in flames. The conflagra tion drew a large crowd from all parts, of men, women and children. As soon as the soldiers had left, a number of small boys, w r hile ransacking the depot, came across a quantity of powder and loose cartridges. For a little amusement, they began to bring handfuls of this dan gerous article from the depotto the burn ing cotton, and found a great deal of rare sport in watching the explosion of the powder as they cast it into the flames. The effect being so novel, a large number of boys speedily joined in the sport, and in a few moments a continuous line of boy 9 was formed from the powder to the burning cotton. The powder running from the hands of the boys, gradually formed a train to the magazine, and a spark quickly ignitecLit* The effect was horrible in the extreme. The magazine exploded, and destroyed the depot, and communicated fire to every portion. The ruins soon wrapped in flames. By the ex plosion a Large number of people were killed, and others seriously wounded. Quite a number were buried in the burn ing ruins, and their cries and appeals for help where none could be given, were truly agonizing and heart-rending. The flames soon enveloped all confin ed in the fiery, furnace, and death at last relieved them 1 from their sufferings. About one hundred and fifty are supposed to have perished/ and nearly a hundred more were seriously burned or wounded by the explosion. The fire before it was subdued, consumed four blocks of build ings, on Chapel, Alexander, Washington and Charlotte, streets. Another fire on Meeting street consumed five building*. Altogether perhaps one hundred build ings were destroyed in the city. Other property such as cotton, rice and tobac - co was destroyed. PROPERTY CAPTURED. Perhaps 10,000 bales of cotton still re main in the city; several hundred thou sand pounds of rice, a large quantity of tobacco, and offier staple products, were found and fell into our hands. Seven lo comotives in fair condition, and a large number of cars fell into our hands, and in the harbor we captured the blockade runner Syren, which hacl run in the night of the evacuation. It was in flames when our men took it. DESTRUCTION OF RKBEI, GUN-BOATS. The rebel-iron-ciad fleet went out of ex istence in a grand pyroteclmical display, on Saturday forenoon. -It had been an expensive luxury to the Rebels, but of Kittle service,’ and like a large number of iron clads on which they had cen tered therir fondest hopes, they made but Httie noise except in their dying mo ments. The Palmetto State first exploded and the Chicora went up at about nine o’clock. The grand exhibition appropri ately closed with a tremendous explo sion from the Charleston— the city pass ing out of rebel hands at the same time. The store ship John Ravenel blew up at about noon, and the rebel fleet termi nated its brief existence. Lt. Col. Bennett, of the 21st U- S. C. T . is in command of the city, and is organizing affairs very rapidly. S. Another Present for Mrs. Gen. Grant. — A number of citizens of Phila delphia, a few weeks since, ordered a splendid grand piano for Mrs. Genera Grant. The instrument is magnificently finished with an elaborately ornamented rosewood case. It will be presented to Mrs. Grant in a few days. The cost of the piano Was $1,200. What is the most pleasant music in the bail room? That made by the belles. House wanted, #'■ With four or sis rooms, within three squares of the market, and between Whitaker and Jefferson street*. Apply at Dr. Walsh’s Drug store, comer Barnard' and Broughton sts. feb2S 8 ■ ■ . TTEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES. JUL District’ of Savannah. Ga- Savannah, February 22, 1865- General Order, \ No. 2. f Surgeon W. Y. Provost, Acting Medical Direc tor, 2d Div. 19th A. C., is hereby appointed Med ical Director of the District of Sav&nuah. By command of Brevet Major Gea, GROVER- Edward G. Dike, A. A. A, G. fd»22 Notice. Office of Street Commissioner, • No. 126 Sooth Broad Street. _ Savanna!, Ga., February 22d, 1563. In accordance with authority conferred apo o me. bv General Ord6r No. 16, from Headquarter U. S. Porces. Sa vatu ah, Ga., dated Feb. 1365. this city is hereby divided into three Dis tricts, for the purpose of removing garbage tnere from. j •' „ , The First District comprises all that portion ot the city lying Nodh of President and Harrison Streets. Carts will remove the garbage from tnis District on Monday and Thursday oreaohweeK. The Second District comprises all that portion of the city lying between the First District ana Harris street. Carts will remove the g a J ba f£ from this District on Tuesday and Friday of eacu The Third D/strict compriscs all that portion of the city lying South of Harris .street, oar will remove the garbage from this DiSi.nct Wednesday aad Saturday of each week. Hereafter a? rubbish and garbage which ma> accumulate must be put into convenient vcw>eus and previous to S o’clock in the morning of e®w» day, as abovf designated fbr the respective Dj tvicts; such'vessels must be placed upon sidewalks of tile streets or alleys, and to remain Here until emptied by my employ®*" after whicMhey will be removed by their own • All othei/persons are forbidden to destroy or • any way interfere with the vessels so placed UPU the sidewalks, and they must not lie exposed the pubiiqvifcw. except as above specified. 1 l ALBERT STEARNS, Capt. and Street Commission^